Eastern semifinals start May 4: Knicks to host Game 1 at Madison Square Garden

The East semifinals are set now — and the timing matters almost as much as the matchup. New York gets Philadelphia in Game 1 on Monday, May 4 at Madison Square Garden, with the Knicks opening at home because they’re the higher seed. The bigger twist is the turnaround. The Knicks closed out Atlanta in six, while the 76ers had to go the distance and only finished Boston on Saturday, May 2. (nba.com) ### Why is New York hosting? Home court goes to the higher seed, and the bracket has the No. 3 Knicks facing the No. 7 76ers. That’s why the series starts at the Garden, not in Philadelphia. The official playoff bracket already slots New York into that top position for this matchup, and the league schedule page shows Game 1 in New York on Monday night. (nba.com) ### What is the actual schedule? The first four games are locked in. Game 1 is Monday, May 4, at Madison Square Garden. Game 2 is Wednesday, May 6, also in New York. Then the series shifts to Philadelphia for Game 3 on Friday, May 8, and Game 4 on Sunday, May 10. The remaining games, if needed, go back to New York, then Philadelphia, then New York. (nba.com) ### Why does the calendar matter so much? Because Philadelphia barely gets a breath. The 76ers beat the Celtics 109-100 in Game 7 on Saturday, May 2, then have to turn around and play the Knicks on Monday, May 4. That is basically one travel day and one recovery day after the most draining kind of first-round series. New York, by contrast, has b(nba.com)games. (nba.com) ### Does that rest edge really change anything? It can, especially early in a series. Fresh legs matter for shot-making, transition defense, and the little recovery bursts stars need between possessions. Think of it like two teams showing up for the same exam, but one got a full night’s sleep and the other finished cramming at dawn. That doesn’t decide the series(nba.com) and sometimes Game 2. The schedule makes that advantage pretty clear for New York. (nba.com) ### What does Philadelphia bring anyway? A dangerous team that just survived a heavyweight first round. The NBA’s playoff coverage highlighted Philadelphia’s Game 7 win over Boston with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey driving the result, which is exactly why the Knicks can’t treat the short-rest angle like a free pass. The 76ers may be tired, but (nba.com)biggest win of their season so far. (nba.com) ### What does New York need from the Garden? The obvious thing is two wins. If the Knicks defend home court, they force Philadelphia to chase the series immediately. If they split, the whole shape changes and the 76ers get to go home feeling like they stole back control. In a 2-2-1-1-1 format, those first two home games are the cleanest chance for the higher seed to make the bracket advantage real. (nba.com) ### So what changed this weekend? The matchup stopped being hypothetical. It became official when Philadelphia won Game 7 on May 2, and the NBA posted the semifinal schedule with New York opening on May 4. That means this is no longer about tentative dates or possible opponents. It’s Knicks-76ers, the Garden first, and a very fast start. (nba.c([nba.com)ottom line? New York got the cleaner path into the second round and the reward that comes with it — home court and extra rest. Philadelphia got through, but the catch is immediate: the 76ers now have to walk into Madison Square Garden on short turnaround and try to steal one before the Knicks settle in. (nba.com)